


Tough

by orphan_account



Series: S T R A W H E A R T [2]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 11:53:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11035662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Two infamous pirate captains bond over their own share of hardships, revealing that even those known as monsters hurt.





	Tough

Luffy's tough.

To make a name for yourself and survive in the New World, you have to be.

But not just physically speaking, but also emotionally tough. He seen his brother die and instead of remaining in despair and hopelessness like someone weaker, Luffy pledged to grow stronger so that he wouldn't lose anyone else. It's a hard and almost unrealistic goal to meet, but Law knows that if anyone is capable of such a thing, it's Luffy.

They're other things that Law hadn't known before about Straw Hat Luffy, but now he does. And despite knowing the teenager personally, it's still shocking to _know_ and _see_ that someone so powerful and capable of performing miracles _, aches_  the same way over personal issues as much as anyone else.

Like now.

Law had become accustomed to sleeping in the men's quarters after Robo-ya had pressed a button and another bunk that was somehow built into the wall emerged. But since the saving of Blackleg-ya and regrouping—his own crew being an island away after he ordered a retreat in battle while being closer to the Straw Hats' ship than the Polar Tang—he decided to take the unused captain's chambers. Why such a thing was built when it's obvious that Straw Hat would rather sleep among his crew than by himself in a large cabin is a mystery. However, it's unsurprising that the rubbery captain would decide to sleep in here because one of his nakama decided to do so. In this case, the Surgeon of Death himself.

"Luffy-ya, why did you decide it was a good idea to sleep with me?"

The nuisance in question makes a hum from where he's kicked off his sandals and decided to use Law as a human body pillow.

"'Cause Torao's Torao and he's handsome."

Law feels a prickle of irritation at the answer, not bothering to discover if the evasiveness was intentional or not.

"Not that. Why here?"

Luffy makes another soft noise, before he glances at Law with the dark orbs that serve as his eyes. "Torao~" he whines in the captain in questions lap.

"Kiss me."

It's a method to distract him and any other time, Law may have appreciated Straw Hat trying to be manipulative. But something's clearly bothering the idiot enough to leave the comfort of the men's quarters and instead come to his unused room that he's probably only set foot in a handful of times.

"No."

"But Torao!" Luffy frowns, grabbing the back of Law's nape and puckering his lips which conjures an image of a fish in a straw hat.

Law smirks, pushing the rubbery captain's face away and wondering when even _that_ became lovable in this unconventional thing that they call a relationship.

"C'mon Torao!" Luffy slobbers against his palm, "I kissed you in front of Hancock when you got really drunk that one time!"

Ah. The Incident.

This is why Law doesn't drink often, someone is _always_ there to remember embarrassing incidents. Usually, the ones who think he can't hear them or are idiotic enough to speak about it. In this case, the latter.

Law frowns. "What's wrong, Straw Hat?"

The pirate captain in question pouts at the use of his moniker, before licking the palm of the older captain's hand and snickering.

Grimacing, the infamous Surgeon of Death _room's_  the treasured straw hat from where its been carefully placed on the end table.

It has the desired effect when Luffy frowns, his eyes narrowing on the hat before meeting Law's teasing gaze.

"Torao,"

Law smirks lazily and twirls the hat on his finger. "Something wrong, Luffy-ya?"

It's only when Luffy frowns at the bedspread from where he's sitting cross-legged that Law begins to worry that it's something more than Blackleg-ya related.

"Luffy-ya?" he asks worriedly.

Luffy fidgets, staring at the bed. "I seen my dad in a newspaper."

_Oh._

"I imagine that he wasn't what you expected." Law observes with a frown, lowering the straw hat to the bed.

Luffy unexpectedly grins, his eyes still downcaste. "He looks serious like you."

There's a thoughtful pause, before Law hums and runs a hand through the mess known as Straw Hat Luffy's hair.

"What did you imagine he would look like?"

"Don't know." Luffy wrinkles his nose. "When I was really small I used to think about him then I met Shanks." The teen laughs, before it fades to a small, thoughtful smile.

"Then I met Ace and Sabo. I used to think about what my mom would be like, too." Luffy admits. "But after I met Makino I didn't have to 'cause it was like," he fidgets, picking at his shorts. "Whenever I thought about what a mom was supposed to be like, I thought of her. Then I met Dadan and had two mom's! So I didn't have to think about it anymore."

Law studies his ally before placing the hat on the idiot's head. "I miss my parents', too."

Luffy appears startled before he grins. "I knew that Torao would understand! My crew understands, too. But not what having the people that are supposed to be your parents being around from the start is like."

"Not even Bone-ya or Robo-ya?" Law would have asked about Robin, but from what he's gathered, the Devil Child's earlier years weren't spent in the loving comfort of her mother's arms.

"Nope!"

"It was great." the word tastes lame and flimsy on Law's tongue. "My mother was loving and my father was the same. He was even teaching me how to become a doctor like him." He hesitates, knowing that bothering to try and ignore the nausea and loving ache in his chest is like trying to tame the sea, or worse, Luffy.

"My little sister Lami always wanted me to take her to the festivals."

"I bet Torao didn't like those."

"No," Law ponders. "Not as much as she did."

"Does Torao sometimes wish that he wasn't a pirate?" Luffy tilts his head, a curious look in those owlish eyes.

It's a loaded question that the teen probably doesn't realize the whole meaning of.

"You're too insightful, Straw Hat." Law bites, immediately regretful.

Luffy doesn't seem affected in the slightest, knowing the rubbery idiot, he probably isn't.

"I'm sorry that Torao hurts."

Though Law would have used harsher, more realistic words ( _'Broken'. 'Messed up.'_ ) Straw Hat's loving and caring, not a pessimistic bastard that's forgotten how to be truthful in the eyes of those he loves.

There's a lump Law's throat and his eyes are wet and all he can do is choke in the face of his ally, his nakama, his _lover_.

"I'm sorry that you lost Ace." Law chokes.

In that sentence, there's more than a few meanings.

_'I'm sorry that you lost the person who made the world seem brighter, who became part of the small family that you had, and who was your one unreachable goal.'_

_'I'm sorry that your father loved from a distance and raised one of your brothers that should have grown up with you and Ace.'_

_'I'm sorry that the woman who gave birth to you wasn't there, but I'm glad that those who loved and cared for you was.'_

_'I'm sorry that when I saved your life, I only thought of how you would be useful to my future goals and not about how the people miles away who love and care for you would grieve.'_

_'I'm sorry that I can't do more.'_

Luffy blinks, his eyes are wet and his mouth is trembling. When he speaks, his voice is just as choked as Law's own.

"I know, Torao. It's okay."

_'No, it's not. But_ _maybe we'll be.'_

Instead of saying the things that feel as though they're the size of the sun pressing against his chest, Law says: "You're really tough."

Luffy laughs, his eyes still watery and trembling mouth still trying to form an unstable smile. "'Course I am! Torao is too!"

**Author's Note:**

> Where's the fluff!? Sorry, but tomorrow it'll be fluffier!
> 
> Inspired by Luffy finally seeing how his father looks and me denying that even Luffy—carefree, wild Luffy—is unaffected by never knowing who his parents' are. I mean,  c'mon , that has to bother anybody.


End file.
